Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 13,039, John Fletcher, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass.
Fletcher, John
NUMBER
S. 13.039
CONTENTS
carded

New York 14/22
John Fletcher
Tompkins in the State of New York who was a private in the Comp. commanded by Captain Haskell of the Reg. commanded by Col. Whitcomb. in the Mass time for 18 Months 12 days
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 64 Dollars 33 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 9 th day of May 1833 and sent to Samuel Pittenden, Ithaca NY
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833. $122.66 Semi-ann. allowance ending 4 Sept 1833 - 30.66
$153.32
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by George Taylor Clerk Book 2 Vol. 1 Page 19.

14726
John Fletcher Tompkins co N.Y.
   Resid. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years. Months. Days.      
Samuel Gitterdew Ithaca New York

BRIEF in the case of  John Fletcher  of  Tompkins Co in the State of New York  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 75  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     Enlisted In 1775 8 Private Capt. Haskell, Col Whitcomb   do 1776 6 do Col Marshall   Drafted 1777 3 Capt Whitney, Col. Carter   1 12 Capt Wilder (Col not recollcted)  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Wooster, Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The seal impressed on each paper 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. E. Bradford.  Examining Clerk.

John Fletcher
In the matter of the Application of for a Decision -
Wm Lloyd
Declaration &c.
4.
14/7/20 v
Whereas the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you arrived... such... in what year were you born? The following questions were proposed by the Court to the applicant.

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832.
STATE OF NEW YORK, } Tompkins COUNTY, ss. }
On this 3 rd day of October personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said County now sitting, John Fletcher a resident of the town of Ulysses - in the county of Tompkins - and state of New York, aged eighty five years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
That he first Enlisted as a Private into the Revolutionary Service at the Town of Lancaster in the County of Wooster & State of Massachusetts (where he then resided) about the first of May 1775 under Capt Andrew Haskell in Col. Asa Whitecomb's Regiment of Massachusetts State Troops for the term of Eight Months - that immediately after his enlistment he marched with his company to Cambridge Mass. where he joined the aforesaid Regiment under the command of said Col. Whitecomb And was stationed at Fort No 2 in said Town of Cambridge as a guard to that Fort where he remained in such service, until a short time after the Battle at Bunker Hill (about the 20 th of June 1775 when he marched with the aforesaid Regiment to Prospect Hill near where the Battle of Bunker Hill, had been fought a few days before. that Continued in the aforesaid service at Prospect Hill till the forepart of January 1776 when he was then discharged from the service by a verbal order from his officers, the time for which he enlisted having previously expired - And he returned home to his parents at Lancaster - That he afterwards enlisted into the same service at the said town of Lancaster in the County & State aforesaid about the first of May 1776 for the term of six months as a Soldier & Private under the aforesaid Captain Haskell and in the Regiment of Massachusetts State Troops then Commanded by Col Marshall but his Christian name he cannot recollect - That soon after his enlistment he joined his said Regiment at Boston Mass. and sailed with the Regiment from thence to a place called Nantasket (now Hull) about nine Miles from Boston where they were stationed as a guard for a short time, after which they sailed to a small Island a few Miles from Boston called Castle William. they remained stationed as a guard at Castle William, till the forepart of December 1776 when his term of service had expired and he with his said Company were again discharged by verbal orders from his said officers and again he returned home to Lancaster -
That immediately after his return to Lancaster as aforesaid & in the month of December 1776 he again enlisted into the aforesaid service as a Private for the term of three months under Capt. Whitney in Col. Josiah Carter's Regiment of Massachusetts State Militia or Troops - that on enlisting as last aforesaid he together with his said Company Commanded by said Capt. Whitney marched from Wooster Mass. where they rendezvoused to Morristown New Jersey where they joined their said Regiment under the aforesaid Col. Josiah Carter - A few days after joining said Regiment at Morristown they marched from thence to Boundbrook where they were stationed to guard the frontier against the Enemy - that he remained at & near Boundbrook in said service till in the month of March 1777 when his term of service had again expired he was then discharged from service & returned home from thence to Lancaster Massachusetts -
That about the last of August 1777 he was drafted

and again entered the aforesaid service as a Private in Capt Luke Wilder's Company in a Regiment of the Massachusetts Militia but the name of the Colonel and other officers Commanding said Regiment he cannot now recollect - He was drafted as aforesaid to serve a campaign of Six weeks for the purpose of munitg & aiding in the defeat of the English Army under General Burgoyne on their march from the States & Canada. that after he was so drafted to serve as aforesaid he with his said Company marched from Lancaster, Mass. to Bennington Vermont and from thence to Half Moon when they received orders to return immediately to Bennington & they marched accordingly - During their march from Half Moon to Bennington the Bennington battle was fought - He remained in service at Bennington for about five weeks when his term of service expired and he with others of his Company were dismissed by verbal orders from their officers & he again returned home -
That during his said first time of service aforesaid and in the summer of 1775 when this applicant with his said Regiment under the Command of Col. Whitcomb aforesaid, was at Cambridge Mass. and in that vicinity a portion of the United States Troops were then stationed at Cambridge & Roxbury under Generals, Warren, Ward and Putnam - That while there a number of Soldiers from said Captain Haskell's Company who were in service with this applicant enlisted to serve in General Lee's Life Guards - among whom were Benjamin Ballard & John Ballard the only two whose names he can now recollect - That on the day of the Battle at Bunker Hill he was at fort No 2 which was but a few miles distant & within hearing of the firing during that engagement - that General Warren was killed at that Battle & soon after which General Washington arrived at Cambridge having been appointed Commander in Chief of the American Armies - that he well recollects seeing Generals Warren, Ward & Putnam before the Battle and that after that battle he saw General Washington on his first arrival at Cambridge and also General Lee -
That he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services -
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Sam. Love clerk
John Fletcher

The following questions were propounded by the Court to the applicant.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
Answer. 1757 in Octob r at Lancaster Massachusetts
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so where is it?
Answer. I have no record in writing
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war; and where do you now live?
Answer. at Lancaster Mass. from Lancaster moved to Northampton then moved to Columbus in state of New York - from thence to Tompkins County New York where I now live -
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute; and if a substitute, for whom?
Answer. I volunteered at first but was afterwards drafted -
5. State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served; such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service.
Answer. Genl. Ward, Warren, Putnam, Washington, and Lee - also Cols. Whitney & Whiting - of the militia
6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so by whom was it given, and what has become of it?
Answer. Has not
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Answer. Rev. Oliver Woodworth Isaac Ganong Jas. Halsey -
WE, Clergyman Oliver Woodworth a residing in the town of Ulysses - and county of Tompkins and State of New York, and Jason Ganong residing in the same place, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Fletcher who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, and that we believe him to be twenty five years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid, }
Samuel Love Ch
Oliver Woodworth his mark Jason Ganong mark
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states, and the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Oliver Woodworth who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the town of Ulysses - and county of Tompkins and are creditable persons, and that their statements are entitled to credit.
I Samuel Love Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Tompkins - do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Fletcher for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 4 th day of October 1832.
Samuel Love Ch

Rev. War
13039 INVALID.
own
File No. 13,039
John Fletcher Rev. War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. _____, Page _____
[Arrangement of 1870.]

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of John Fletcher, Tompkins co N.York which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yy II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yy III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yy V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yy VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yy VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yy VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yy IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yy X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yy

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? yes
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? yes
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
the seal is impressed on each paper
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? all answered
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: "Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
†QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
‡QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
¶ In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.